Ripped Out of the Closet! Skye Comes Out!
by skytroops
Summary: Skye is gay and in love with his best friend, who loves him in return, but his parents don't know that yet. Greyverse. (Squeakheartshipping / Ash Ketchum X OC)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: A rewrite/remake of one of my older fics,** ** _How to Get Ripped Violently Out of the Closet_** **, which you can still read if you want to compare or read both versions.  
This was somewhat rewritten for National Coming Out Day (11/10).**

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

* * *

"Dae yae really hiv tae go?" Skye asked with a frown. "Yae usually don't leave dis early."

"Skye, I toldja already-!" Ash laughed lightly. "If me and Pikachu stay any longer, we'll end up missing the plane and the next flight isn't until tomorrow morning!"

Pikachu, who was perched on his trainer's shoulder, nodded his head. "Pika."

Skye made a whine in the back of his throat. He was escorting Ash and Pikachu to the ranch's front fencing so that they could head to the airport to catch their flight back to Kalos. Even though they had spent the whole day together, the breeder was reluctant to let Ash leave, but he knew that he couldn't keep his Pokémon-Master-in-training to himself. He had to continue on his Pokémon journey and Skye wasn't going to stop him, even if he did whinge.

"Hey, don't pull a face." Ash stopped in his tracks to give the brunet a small pout. "If you keep that up, it'll stick that way."

If Skye wasn't pulling a face before, he was definitely pulling one now after that comment. Since when did Ash start sounding like his old Granny Carol? Before he could make his retort, he was pulled into an one armed hug.

He squeaked at the sudden contact, he he was quick to lean into it, allowing himself to enjoy his boyfriend's embrace. He didn't know when he'd be able to get another, considering how unpredictable Ash's visits could be.

"No need to worry, we'll be back before you know it!" Skye felt the trainer's grasp around his torso tighten slightly, prompting him to look up at the other's face. Ash was smiling widely at him. Warmth pooled in the breeder's chest and a small smile crept onto his reddening face.

Ash suddenly got a hopeful look in his eye. "But, you know- we don't _need_ to be apart."

"Ash, no." Skye deadpanned, but then he leaned his head against the shorter boy's empty shoulder in apology. "Yae know dat ah don't wanna leave hame 'n dat hisnae changed since da last time yae asked."

Ash sighed. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

The both of them went quiet. Feeling the awkwardness in the air, Pikachu patted his partner's cheek to get his attention. "Pikapi, pika pikachu."

"Yeah, I know, buddy." Ash started to walk again, tugging Skye along with him.

After a long moment, Skye said quietly. "Jist be careful oot der, awright? Yae know how much ah worry aboot yae when yir oot travelin'."

"Because you're not there to keep an eye on me?" Ash added sympathetically.

"Aye," Skye said with a big sigh. "Ah've seen plenty eh evidence dat shows yae'll end up in trouble somehow. Wit happened tahday wiz bad enough, man."

His mind reeled back to earlier in the day when Ash was helping him around the ranch with his chores. His boyfriend had tried to give a feverish Feraligatr his medication and nearly lost his head for his trouble.

If Skye hadn't been there to pull him out of the way. . .

"Eh heh," Ash and Pikachu nervously grinned together. "I wish we could stop getting ourselves into trouble too, but stuff just _happens_. If you want something or someone to blame, blame Team Rocket-! It's literally in their motto!"

Skye's shoulders sagged, lifting a hand to gently thump his hand against Ash's chest. "Jist make sure dat dis is still tickin' next time ah see yae."

"That, I can do." The trainer said with confidence.

"Pika," Pikachu added.

When they finally reached their destination- the fencing that divided the Hunter property and Route 27 -the two of them stared at the fencing for a heartbeat.

"We. . .better get going now." Ash mumbled, giving Skye a final squeeze before releasing him. Skye had to cross his arms to keep himself from reaching out to bring him back into another hug. He didn't need to leave right now, he could spend the night and get his flight transferred, and judging by the look Ash was giving him, he was probably thinking the same thing.

But, the both of them knew that was a bad idea. Aside from the obvious problems, it would only make their goodbyes even harder if they delayed the inevitable. It was best to leave now.

"Yeah." Skye breathed, tensing when Ash heaved himself over the fence.

"Well," the trainer exhaled. "We'll see you later, Skye."

"Pi pika!" Pikachu squeaked, waving a paw at the brunet.

"Mmh." Skye stepped up to the fence that now separated them.

Awkwardly, Ash gave him a somber smile and started walking away. "See ya."

 _Dis is so stupit._ The breeder gritted his teeth and dug his fingers into his arms. _Ah should be used tae sayin' bye by noo. Ah'm jist makin' dis mare harder fur da baeth eh us. Ah'm such a bad boyfri-_

"Oh! Before I forget!"

Snapped out from his darkening thoughts, Skye looked up to see that Ash had started walking backwards. With a big grin, he took in a deep breath, cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled; **"I LOVE YOU!"**

Skye almost tripped over himself at the sudden proclamation of love. It was almost as if he had been struck by lightning. His face burned, his heart skipped a beat, and his whole body started to buzz.

He stared at the obnoxiously loud and shameless young man before letting out a giddy laugh he couldn't hold in. He hid his reddening face in his hand, unable to handle the sudden burst of affection he had for the stupid, but absolutely wonderful guy he called his boyfriend.

Ash was never subtle, but who in their right mind did this sort of thing in the real world? Life wasn't a cheesy romance flick, so what was he trying to accomplish? To make their goodbye less awkward? To make Skye feel better about him leaving? Or was he shouting his feelings just because he wanted too?

They were all probably the right answer.

Only Ash could make something that dumb so endearing. Or maybe, it was because Skye was a hopeless romantic who loved Ash way too much to find it dumb. It wasn't everyday he'd get to hear the boy he loved tell him the feeling was mutual.

Actually. . .

With every fibre of his being alright with renewed energy, Skye bounced onto the wooden fencing. Brimming with glee, he loudly exclaimed. "Ah love yae tae, ya stupit bugger!"

Like an overjoyed puppy, Ash yelped excitedly and jumped, nearly falling backwards while doing so. He flailed his arms to keep himself upright. When he was sure that he was alright, he gave Skye a thumbs up before turning around to start running down the path. Skye managed to overhear Pikachu scolding him.

Sighing, he stepped off the fence to lean against it and watched Ash run off like the big goof that he was. He watched him bumble along until the trainer disappeared past the trees further down the trail.

Even if Ash out of view, Skye was barely able to contain himself. He hopped around, face beet red and grinning from ear to ear. He felt lighter than a Flabébé as he started walking back into the ranch.

His mind was filled Ash's voice and smile, making him squeak. He wanted to smother that boy in all the kisses he could give. He should have done that instead of moping when Ash was still within arm's reach.

 _Well, ah'll gist hiv tae dae dat when he comes back den! He's no gonnae expect da-_

"-oof!"

Skye had been so caught up in his own thoughts, he had ended up bumping into someone. He stepped, an apology ready on his tongue.

"Whoa, careful der, son. Yae wir in yir ean wee world der, weren't yae?" His father chuckled. "Ah suppose it's too late tae ask if Ash wanted tae stay fur dinner, hm?"

Skye froze.

* * *

Pika brought a paw to her chest as she took in a slow, deep breath. Then, she let it out just as slowly while outstretching her paw. She did it again before looking up at Skye. After a moment, Skye shakily attempted to follow her example.

Skye had no idea where she had learned how to perform breathing exercises from, but he appreciated her help. She definitely had her work cut out for her tonight. If she hadn't started distracting him from what was bothering him, he would have certainly suffered an anxiety attack.

He was shaking in his work boots. He hadn't walked too far from the fence when he bumped into his father. That meant that his father had managed to overhear him and Ash proclaiming their love for each other.

That wasn't good. He hadn't gotten around to telling his parents- or anyone else for that matter -that he and Ash had started dating. Only him, Ash and their Pokémon knew.

His parents approved of their friendship, but a relationship was completely different. They had to deal with him being transgender and now they were going to have to deal with him being gay as well. How were they doing to react?

Skye shook his head, groaning into his hands. ". . .och, ah hate dis." He threw himself onto his bed, making Pika bounce.

The Pikachu patted his shoulder with her tail. "Chuu. . ."

"Maybe- maybe he didnae hear us." Skye mumbled, removing his hands from his face to let them flop to his sides. "He didnae say anythin' tae me when we walked back here, bit he could just be waitin' tae jump it oon me durin' dinner."

Pika gave him a patient smile. "Chuchu, pi pika. Pikachu chu pi."

Skye lifted his head to leer at her for a heartbeat. Then, his eyes softened and he huffed. ". . .a-ah dunno, baby girl. Ah'm jist scared eh wit dey'll say."

He felt a paw tenderly press into his forearm. "Chuchu. . ."

The breeder's hand rose to meet the Electric Mouse's head, giving his ESP a gentle pet between the ears. "Ah- ah know dey love me 'n ah love d-dem," his face turned pink. "B-bit, ah love Ash tae. . .'n d-dat's wit ah'm scared aboot. Wit if dey don't like me 'n Ash bein' taegivher? Wit if dey d-don't like me bein' gay?"

"Chu? Pika Chuchu, pika. Pi pikachu chu pipi."

Skye turned onto his side to look at Pika proper as she chattered on. Although he couldn't understand Pika, their bond was more than good enough of a translator to get Pika's words through to him.

She was telling him that his parents loved him dearly and as long as he was happy, they wouldn't care what orientation he identified as or who he was dating.

"-pika pi chu." Pikachu finished, tucking herself between her trainer's arm and side. Feeling Pika's weight press against him helped him keep a level head. She was right. His parents did love him and they wouldn't care.

 _Bit why dae dey hiv tae learn aboot it like dis. . ?_

Skye didn't like it when things were out of his control. He liked being in control. He knew that he needed to tell his parents about him and Ash at _some_ point. Perhaps, if his father somehow hadn't overheard them, this whole thing could be a sign to finally tell them.

 _Bit, we only started datin' three month ago-!_ He argued to himself. _It's no like Mum 'n Dad needed tae know aboot me 'n Ash as soon as we goat taegiver. Isn't three month, like, too early fur dis sort eh 'hing?_

He had three options laid out in front of him. Pretend like nothing happened if his Dad doesn't bring it up, play dumb if he does, or confess everything despite what his father does. None of them sounded good.

"Ugh-!" Skye growled, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Ah'm stuck in a corner!" He buried his face in his hands again. He thought about his parents. He thought about Ash. He thought about _everything_.

He decided on option four.

If he was going to be shoved out of the closet tonight, he was going to do it himself.

* * *

"-'n den Red thought it wiz a good idea tae git in da middle eh an argument wae a Golem 'n Steelix!" Lyle laughed through the noodles in his mouth. "He went flyin'!" His free hand made a soaring motion as his gold eyes sparkled, far too amused in his own story. "Yae shouldeh seen it! It wiz da funniest 'hing ah've seen aw week!"

". . .it's only Tuesday." Winnie said flatly, clearly not all that impressed in her husband's childish glee.

Firered, the Flareon in question, lifted his head up from his bowl to give his trainer an annoyed glare. Beside him, Winnie's Leafeon, Leafgreen turned her head to hide a giggle.

Lyle nervously chuckled. "Come oon, Red. It wiz funny-!" He turned his attention to his son on the other side of the table. "Skye, yae 'hink it's funny, don't yae?"

Hearing his name, Skye stopped picking at his nearly untouched supper to shyly look at his father. "Ah guess. . ." he shrugged. From her seat beside Skye, Pika turned her head to give him a comforting look.

Lyle's expression shifted when he heard his son's sad tone. ". . .ir yae awright, mate?" He pointed his fork at Skye's dinner plate. "Yae hivnae eaten dat much 'n yae look mare pale dan usual."

Winnie nodded in agreement, the faint wrinkles around her steely blue eyes creasing with worry. "Is something wrong?"

Dread weighted down in Skye's stomach. This was the moment. He needed to be brave. He needed to be proud of who he was. Pika laid her tail over his hand, encouraging him. If they didn't accept him, then that was their problem, not his.

"A-ah hiv somethin' tae tell d-da baeth eh yae. . ." he began, awkwardly fiddling with a tattered piece of his overalls. His mother and father straightened up, forgetting about their dinner.

Skye took a long moment to compose himself before he finally said;

"Ah'm in love."

He glanced up at his parent's faces to gauge their reaction. They stared at him, their faces unreadable. Skye realized that his father looked just as shocked as his mother.

 _Why is Dad. . ? Uh oh._

His father didn't overhear them. He just confessed for no reason. But, he needed to keep going. It was too late to back out now.

Winnie was first to attempt to say something, but before she could speak, Skye added. "Wae a _guy_. Ah hiv a boyfriend."

Silence. Dead silence.

It bore deeply into Skye. He felt as if he was about to be sick. He tensed up, readying himself for the probable onslaught. He glanced at Pika, his rough palms beginning to sweat.

 _Ah'm so deed._

His mother's seat creaked as she leaned back into it. Skye felt his heart beginning to thump wildly in his chest when she cleared her throat.

 _Ah'm so stupit. Why did ah say anythin'? Dey're gonnae kill me. Ah'll git kicked oot. Ash'll never be able tae come back. Dey-_

"Well, dat took you long enough-!"

"Ah still 'hink dis is aw a wee bit too young. . ."

"You're wan to talk, Lyle. You fell in love with me when you were 16."

Lyle shrunk back in his seat, embarrassed. "A-ah know, honey, bit ah wiz young 'n stupit."

Skye gawked at them, unable to speak. He tried to talk, but all that came out was incoherent babbling. Pika clasped her paws together, pleasantly surprised by how casual his parents were being.

Finally, Skye managed to bark. "H-hauld oon-!" He scrunched up his nose, trying to process the situation he was in. "Y-yae knew. . ? D-da baeth eh yae?"

"Not exactly." Winnie got up from her chair, slowly walking around the table towards her son. "We had a feeling you had your eyes on someone. You've been actin' all twitterpated for months now, I'm sure that even Salem could figure that out." She bent down and brought him into a motherly hug. "But, we're glad that you've told us."

"We've goatten used tae different." Lyle picked up with a smile. "As soon as we hid tae tell da rest eh da famely dat we hid a baby boy rather dan a daughter, we knew dat we'd be in fur a wild ride wae you. Findin' oot dat yir gay is far fae surprisin' at dis point."

"Flare!"

"Leafe~!"

Skye was rigid in his mother's embrace, unsure how to react to what he was being told. He nervously laughed as his father went on. "Ah gotta admit, ah thought dat yae wid've been put aff datin' fur life efther everythin' dat happened wae dat wee Lawrence girl."

Skye grimaced at the mention of Megan, but he had to admit, he thought the same once. After everything with Megan, he had thrown out all notions of love out of the window and saw it as a waste of time, a distraction from his ranch work, something that wasn't for him. He thought differently now, of course.

"Speakin' eh which, does dis guy yir datin' know aboot yir-" Lyle visibly stiffened. " _gender_ , right?"

"Och, Lyle!" Winnie released her son to return to her seat, allowing him to shakily take a sip of his water.

Pika scooted closer to her trainer, wrapping her forearms around his arm with a warm smile. "Chuchu, pikapi pika."

Slowly, Skye nodded his head. "A-aye, he knows. He's known f-fur a while noo." He remembered when he had told Ash that he was transgender after Megan outed him. It had been a couple years since then, but he remembered it clearly.

He had thought that Ash would turn against him after finding out the truth, like several others had done in the past. That he would never see Ash again, but only after he was talked down upon for being a freak. It never came.

At first, Ash was confused. He had never heard of transgender people, but once Skye explained it to him, Ash accepted it without a second thought.

Even now, Skye couldn't understand why Ash would accept him so easily. Ash shrugged it off and told him that if him being born female meant that he was supposed to see him any differently, it didn't. That he was still Skye to him, no matter what.

Skye put his trust in Ash that day. That was something he hadn't done in a long time. Trusting him led him to consider Ash his friend, then it led to them becoming what they were now. Probably one of the only good decisions he's ever made, if he was being honest.

"Good." Lyle relaxed, but he still looked concerned. "Did he know befur yae goat taegiver?" Skye nodded again. Lyle grinned widely, brightening up.

"Sounds like a good guy." His mother chimed. "He sounds better than Megan already. We'd like to meet this boy." There was something in his mother's voice that made Skye nervous.

The brunet's pale face started to flush bright red. "A-aye, he's g-great. . ." he trailed off. That word was far too weak for what he thought of Ash. Actually, Skye wasn't sure if there was a word good enough to describe his boyfriend.

His parents exchanged knowing looks before the both of them turned to him.

"It's Ash, isn't it?"

And in that instant, Skye made the most baffling sounds he had ever made in his entire life. His head became light. He tried to speak, but once again, all that came out was flustered nonsense. Pika pressed her chubby face into Skye's neck, doing her best to keep him from going into a panic.

His mother and father laughed light-heartedly at their son's bewilderment.

"Och, come oon, Skye-!" Winnie snorted. "You've been completely head over heels for that boy for yonks! Did you really think we didn't notice how much you talk about him or how excited you get when he visits? You've been far from subtle."

Skye leaned his chin against the top of Pika's head, feeling nothing short of horror-stricken. He wanted the ground to open and swallow him up. He felt as if he was going to die from embarrassment at this rate.

"Aww, don't be like that, love." Winnie told him gently. "You know I'm telling the truth, and that's not a bad thing-!" She reached out to hold her husband's hand. He took it, sharing his wife's pride-filled expression. "You're our son, Skye, and we want you to be happy."

"'N it's mare dan obvious dat da Ketchum boy makes yae happy, even if he's a wee bit oon da stupit side."

Skye's nose scrunched up again. "H-he's no stupit."

"Says the one who always calls him stupid."

"N-naw, ah don't!"


	2. Chapter 2

Skye let out a long yawn, curling his tongue inward as he did. He had just finished looking over a baby Sentret after the little guy had gotten roughed up by one of his larger littermates. The kit's mother—a first-timer named Loops—had screeched at him until he checked over her kit several times to make sure he was alright. Once Loops finally believed that her son was going to be fine, she gathered her litter, and headed them away, towards a cluster of burrows that held her nest.

Now, Skye was heading to the homestead so that he could take his lunch break. Thankfully, today was a slow day, filled with waiting for eggs to hatch, and making sure everyone on his schedule were happy and healthy, so he didn't need to skip out on it this time.

As he mulled over what he needed to do after his break, he heard his name being called. He kept walking, but started looking around for whoever had called on him.

At first, he didn't see anyone, but he staggered when he spotted someone coming over the nearest slope at top speed. It was Ash, excitedly waving his arms as he ran down the small hill, and towards the stunned breeder.

Skye couldn't believe his eyes. Ash wasn't meant to be here yet. He was meant to be in Kalos, stuck in Lumoise Airport, waiting for a new flight after his first flight had gotten cancelled. At least, that was what Ash had told him the night before via video phone. And yet, here he was—racing towards him with Pikachu at his heels.

Skye stared at him, too surprised by Ash's sudden appearance to react. It wasn't until Ash called his name again that his entire body started to buzz with overwhelming excitement.

He couldn't help himself. He started running to meet Ash half-way. If Ash could travel several thousand miles to see him, he could run a few hundred yards to finally close the distance. As the gap closed between them, Skye's excitement bubbled up his throat, and came out in a happy, but breathless yelp. "Ash-!"

"Skye!" Ash yelled back, somehow managing to jump for joy as he continued to run. His arms reached out, his smile as bright, and as warm as the sun.

Skye tried to run faster, so he could bask in that light as soon as he possibly could, but his binder made it hard for him to run for long.

It didn't matter, as the two finally reunited by happily crashing into one another, just barely managing to not end up in a giddy pile on the ground. The both of them couldn't contain their laughter as they clung onto each other.

Skye buried his face into Ash's shoulder, his whole body thrumming, and his heart aching. He took in _everything_. Everything from the feeling of Ash's arms tightly wrapped around him, to how warm he was, to how he smelled; he needed a shower, but that was alright.

It all meant that he wasn't in Kalos. He wasn't jumping off cliffs, or diving into raging rivers, thousands of miles away. He was right here, safe, and in his arms.

"How ir yae here?" Skye asked into the trainer's shoulder before reluctantly pulling his head up to speak more clearly. "Yae sayd yae wirnae gonnae be a-able tae git here until da morra-!" he said, adrenaline making his voice waver.

"My flight wasn't cancelled!" Ash said breathlessly. Somehow, he had managed to lose his hat when they collided. "It was a completely different flight!"

"A completely different. . ." Skye trailed off, then shook his head in exasperation. He tilted his head forward to gently press his forehead against Ash's own. "Yir such a stupit bugger." he laughed, unable to get rid of the smile on his face.

"Am not," Ash snorted as their noses bumped together. "I missed you."

Skye looked away, his face reddening. "A-ah missed yae tae." He could see Ash's eyebrows raise in amusement in his peripheral. His blush deepened.

Ash chuckled. It rumbled in both of their chests. "How've you been?"

"A-ah've been awright?" Skye offered, his mind still reeling at Ash's arrival. He turned his head to look at his grinning boyfriend. "Wit aboot you?"

"Eh," the trainer grunted. "I didn't get much sleep on the plane. But, I could always take a nap!" He batted his eyelashes at the brunet, looking innocent. "That alright with you?"

 _Subtle, dude._ He should've known that Ash would ask him something like this. He knew what Ash meant with that oh-so-subtle gesture. Ash was saying that he would only take a nap if Skye was going to join him. Skye would imagined that the nap would come with plenty of cuddles, and the prospect of waking up in his boyfriend's arms didn't sound too bad either.

He let out a sigh, allowing his fingers to play with Ash's popped jacket collar. "If nothin' comes up, ah 'hink we cin dae dat."

"Awesome," Ash said, his eyes softening. "I'll look forward to it."

"Yir gonnae look forward tae hivin' a sleep?"

"Well, yeah. It's way more comfy out here-" Ash punctuated his words by squeezing Skye's middle. "than it is on a stuffy plane."

Skye sighed, absolutely smitten. He wanted nothing more than to indulge in loving his boyfriend, but instead, he felt his stomach growl.

Oh right. Lunch.

He had been so caught up with Ash that he had forgotten all about eating. He thought about skipping it, but quickly decided against it when he realized that he probably wouldn't have another chance to eat until dinnertime. As much as he loved Ash, that love would only fill his heart, not his stomach.

The brunet went to pull away, but then he paused. He suddenly remembered what he wanted to do the next time he saw Ash. He had wanted to smother him in kisses because Ash had proclaimed he loved him as he left. Smothering Ash in his affections would take too long, and burn into his lunch break, but he had to do _something_. He decided to go with the first thing that came to mind.

"Och-!" he lightly slapped Ash's shoulder. "Ah nearly furgoat!" Before Ash could ask what, he leaned in, and kissed him gently.

Ash stiffened in surprise, but quickly relaxed, and returned it.

Skye's head swam. Ash's lips were warm, but a little rough—like the rest of him. When he pulled away, Skye could see that the trainer's face had turned bright red.

"W-woah, what was that for?" Ash asked, sounding dazed. During the kiss, his fingers had started to grip Skye's overall straps, as if he were doing his best to keep himself grounded.

"Sorry," Skye smiled bashfully, face red-hot. "hid tae git dat oot eh ma system."

"Oh. . .okay." Ash nodded slowly. "Uh, why was it in your system?"

Skye huffed. "Becuz da last time we saw each uhduh, yae telt me yae loved me-!"

Ash was slow on the intake, but his near-black eyes lit up all of a sudden. "Oh!" he turned his head down, his blush spreading to his ears. "I-i. . .did, huh."

"Yae did-!" Skye snorted out an embarrassed laugh. "'N ah telt yae ah loved yae back." he placed his hands on Ash's broad shoulders. "N-noo, ir yae gonnae lemme go? Ah wiz in da middle eh somethin' befur yae showed up." _'N if we stay like dis any longer, ah'm gonnae kiss yae again._

"Ah, sorry 'bout that." Ash said quickly, withdrawing his arms from around Skye, so he could rub the back of his neck awkwardly.

As the breeder gave him a smile, he spotted Pikachu, standing at their feet. He was holding onto Ash's hat with raised brows.

"N-nice tae see yae, Pikachu." Skye said nervously, feeling bad that he had completely overlooked him due to being so focused on being lovey-dovey with his trainer.

Pikachu waved a paw dismissively. "Pi-pikachu."

"Sorry, buddy." Ash apologized before bending down to pick his partner up, and placing him onto his shoulder.

"Pika pika," With a huff, Pikachu slapped Ash's hat back onto his trainer's head.

"Thanks, Pikachu." With his hat sitting askew, Ash reached up to give his partner a scratch under his chin.

Pikachu cooed appreciatively.

"So, uh- Skye!" Ash fixed his hat as he returned his attention to the brunet. "What were you doing before me and Pikachu showed up?"

"Ah wiz aboot tae git ma lunch fae da hoose," Skye told him, nodding towards the homestead that sat not far away.

Ash's eyes lit up again. "It's lunchtime already?"

Pikachu's large ears pricked upwards. "Pika chu pika?"

"Aye, jist aboot. 'Moan." Skye gestured for Ash to follow him as he finally started heading for the house again.

Ash trotted beside him. "What's for lunch anyway? Anything good?"

Skye turned his head to give Ash a questioning look. "Why ir yae ask-" he nearly bit his tongue when he realized where Ash was going with the conversation. He deadpanned. "Yae want some eh witevuh ah'm hivin', daen't yae?"

Ash looked away, smiling nervously. "Maybe. . ." he mumbled before turning to look back at Skye, his eyes pleading. "I skipped out on breakfast this morning, okay! You know how nasty airline food can be! They gave us some weird mush, and lettuce!"

"Pi pika!" Pikachu agreed. Skye didn't need to guess that Pikachu hadn't eaten either.

"Ah've telt yae before, dude." Skye groaned, starting to sound almost like a frustrated parent. "Yae should brin' yir ean food ontae da flight."

"I've done that already!" Ash retorted with a pout. "But, we always end up eating everything before it's time to eat it!"

Skye let out a loud, annoyed groan. "Ugh, ah guess ah cin find somethin' fur da baeth eh yaes."

"You're the best, Skye!" Ash beamed at him before grabbing his hand, and pulling him so he could walk faster. "Let's go eat!"

Skye wanted to protest, but only ended up laughing, and quickening his step. He was grateful that Ash, despite being excited over the promise of food, had grabbed his good hand rather than his injured one. He firmly secured his fingers around Ash's hand, feeling how much bigger it was compared to his. It felt stronger too.

"So, what are we eatin', anyways?" Ash asked, as they reached the front porch.

"Lentil soup. Ma da made it last night, so we'll hiv tae heat it up." Skye explained. "Der's onion in da soup, bit der's a couple eh jars eh ma mixed Pokéfood in da kitchen, so Pikachu isnae left oot."

"Pika pi!" Pikachu cooed, giving Skye a big smile.

Skye shyly returned it as he hopped onto the porch to open the front door. After kicking off their shoes by the front door, and walking down the hall, they were greeted by a Raichu in a makeshift bed under the hall's radiator.

It was Bowie, one of Skye's Pokémon, and one of the Pikachu's youngest siblings. He waved his tail lazily.

"Hi, Bowie!" Ash released Skye's hand to wave at the half-asleep rodent as they passed him.

Bowie lifted his head to nod at him, and his eldest brother slowly. "Raii, chu."

Pikachu nodded back. "Pika."

Once in the kitchen, Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder to sit himself on the countertop while Skye went to the fridge.

"Dae yae mind if we jist share dis?" Skye asked, opening the fridge to retrieve a tub of soup. "Yae know ah don't eat dat much, 'n ah don't want tae gee masel' mare bowls tae clean."

"Sure, it'll be romantic." Ash half-laughed as he leaned against the counter. "It'd be like sharing a milkshake in one of those cheesy romance movies, but with soup."

"Ah'm surprised yae even know aboot dat kind eh trope, considerin' yir you." Skye said with a small smirk.

"Hey-!" Ash sounded offended, but he kept smiling. "You need to stop giving me _pelters_ about romance stuff! I'm getting pretty good at romancing, if I do say so myself."

"Ah'm sure," Skye snorted, amused by his boyfriend's awkward usage of Hunter-slang. Hearing him say words and phrases that Skye only ever heard out of his heavily accented family was entertaining, to say the least.

The breeder went to the microwave, popped it open, and placed the tub inside. After inputting the time, and starting it up, he reached for a floor cabinet to collect a jar of his handmade Pokéfood.

"Cin wan eh yaes pass is a bowl?" Skye asked over his shoulder.

"Pika!" Pikachu quickly walked across the countertop, picking out a plastic bowl off the drying rack by the sink. He padded over to Skye, and happily held up the bowl to him.

Skye took it with a thankful nod, but as he poured the jar's contents into the bowl, he frowned. He started to think about his parents, and how they knew that his and Ash's relationship. He gulped.

He felt guilty about telling his parents about them without asking Ash if he was alright with him saying so. In his panic that night, he had supposed that Ash wouldn't care, but he couldn't help feeling horrible about it.

He had been meaning to tell Ash about what happened, but he had been waiting to tell him face-to-face, and in private, rather than telling him over the video phone.

From a drawer, he pulled out a spoon to stir the soup with. The droning of the microwave started to get to him. He whipped himself around to face Ash, who flinched at the sudden movement.

"Are you ok-"

"Ah telt ma parents aboot us." Skye said in one quick breath.

Ash's eyes widened, and he straightened up against the counter. "Really? How'd they take it?"

With a sharp intake of breath, Skye answered, "D-dey wir awright wae it. Dey wir m-mare worried aboot if yae knew 'n wir awright wae me bein' trans 'r no."

"Huh."

Ash took a second to chew on the information, and as he opened his mouth to speak, Skye stammered, "B-bit, uh. . .d-dey kindeh awready tippled befur ah telt dem."

"They did?"

Skye's face started to burn again as waves of anxiety and embarrassment washed over him. "A-apparently, ah'm as subtle as a brick through a windae" _Dat, 'n yir ma only friend who's no a Pokémon._

Ash blinked, then pushed himself away from the countertop with a sly smirk. "Oh really?"

"Ash, don't. Dis is serious." Skye scrunched up his nose, his face turning completely red.

Ash only laughed lightheartedly as he crossed the small kitchen to pat Skye on the head. "Careful, you're starting to look like a Pikachu-!"

"Pi-pika," Pikachu affirmed through a mouthful of kibble. He had started eating his lunch early.

Skye felt ready to explode. His eyes were beginning to sting, so he bowed his head to stare at the kitchen's tiled flooring.

Ash's hand turned comforting, gently running his fingers against the breeder's scalp. "I'm not mad, if that's what you're thinkin'."

Skye's head snapped back up. He was barely able to hold back the surprise in his voice. "A-ah wiznae-"

"Hey," Ash silenced him by poking an accusing finger into his collarbone. "don't start. I know you're going to lie. You always look super guilty before you do."

Shameful, Skye tried to turn away, but was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. He glanced back up at Ash's face. His expression was soft, sincere.

"Skye, I'm not mad. You'd know if I was." Ash said, cracking a small smile. "Besides, if you're as subtle as a brick, then I'm as subtle as a _boulder_."

In spite of himself, Skye's heart skipped a beat. For someone who wasn't 'good at the romance thing', Ash was a natural.

". . .yanno, I should probably tell my mom about us." Ash said suddenly, making Skye squeak.

"Y-yae don't need tae tell 'er jist-"

Ash flashed him a toothy grin. "It'll be fine. My mom is cool with this sort of thing."

The breeder tightened his jaw, and nervously rubbed his hands together. He felt uncomfortable with the idea, but this was _Ash's mother_ they were talking about. Surely, she'd react positively, right?

"I-if yir sure. . ." he mumbled.

"Sure, I'm sure!" Ash lightly thumped a fist against his chest. "Mom raised me, remember?"

Skye's nose wrinkled again. "Jist becuz she raised yae doesnae mean she'd be awright wae is."

The microwave pinged. Skye rolled his shoulder to dislodge the hand still settled there, so he could turn around to retrieve the soup.

"She didn't mind the two old ladies that lived on the edge of town," Ash told him rather nonchalantly.

"Der wiz a gay couple in Pallet Toon?" Skye asked, surprised. He hadn't even thought about Pallet Town possibly having gay residents. He had just assumed that Ash was the town queer, and that everyone else were all straight.

"Yeah, I can't remember much about 'em, but I do remember, when me and Gary were kids, he thought they were weird." Ash couldn't help snickering, probably due to the irony, but Skye cringed.

That brought back some. . .unpleasant childhood memories. Gary liked to throw that word at him whenever they had the displeasure of bumping into each other as children, but that was before Skye burst his lip for picking Pika up by her tail. After that, Gary avoided him like the plague.

Skye pushed the old taunts out of his mind, and cautiously took a sip of soup. It tasted as good as it did the night before. It was just about the right temperature too.

"Ir dey still in Pallet Toon?" Skye asked, offering Ash a steaming spoonful for his opinion.

"I think-" Ash took a moment to have a taste. "—oh that's good—I think they moved? I dunno, but I know Mom liked them, at least." He trained his eyes on the tub of soup, and licked his lips. "Can we eat now? I'm skin and bones here!"

"Pi pika!" Pikachu chimed in, cheeks full of kibble. His bowl was already half-empty.

Skye sighed. He wanted to ask Ash more questions about the elderly lesbian couple, but he was hungry, and he didn't have it in him to try keeping the conversation going.

"Awright," he walked over to the other side of the kitchen to pick up a clean dish towel, and flung it at Ash, who caught it. "grab da tub so we cin eat."

"Yes!" The trainer pumped a fist, quickly whirling around to pick the soup up, the dish towel hanging on his forearm. "Where are we gonna eat?" He asked, looking a little too excited.

"Uhh," Usually, Skye would leave the house so he could eat his lunch out in the open, but he didn't want Ash to walk that far while carrying hot soup. "how aboot da porch swing oot front?" He suggested, grabbing a spoon for himself. He had sat there countless times before, on days he felt too lazy to walk anywhere else.

"Sure!"

"Cin yae carry dat bowl yirsel', Pikachu?" Skye asked the Electric type as he stood. He wasn't sure if he was as dexterous as his mother.

"Pika pi," Pikachu nodded, lifting his bowl, and hopping off the counter without any trouble.

After tip-toeing past a now sleeping Bowie, and shuffling their shoes back on, they stepped onto the porch.

Pikachu placed his bowl up onto the swing, then climbed up after it. He cooed as the bench gently swung back and forth. "Cha!"

"Is it fun, buddy?" Ash asked with a short laugh.

"Pikachu!" His partner nodded, sitting down with his half-eaten lunch.

Ash and Skye followed, seating themselves beside one another. The breeder inched back until he rested against the back of the swing. When Ash did the same, the bench swung again. _We're so short,_ Skye whined to himself. _oor feet irnae even touchin' da flear. . ._

Ash placed the dish towel down in the space between them, then put the tub on top. He was looking at the soup like a Mandibuzz eyed a defensive Cubone. Skye wondered just how long he had been without a meal.

"Thanks for the food!" Ash exclaimed, raising his spoon.

"Pi-pikachu!"

And with that, they all started to eat. They didn't talk, but Skye didn't mind. He knew that Ash and Pikachu wouldn't be able to keep up a conversation while eating, so he was alright with just enjoying their company.

He gazed out towards the ranch grounds, enjoying his lunch. It was a sunny day, if a little cloudy. _A good day fur Grass types, 'n a bad wan fur Dark types,_ he reminded himself. He wasn't personally a fan either. He preferred cooler, grey days. Those days made it a little easier to wear his binder.

Without moving his head, Skye turned his attention to Ash. He was happily digging into their lunch, almost swinging his feet as he eats.

The trainer noticed that he was being watched, so he awkwardly smiled around the spoon in his mouth.

Skye returned it with a small, amused snort. If anyone else smiled at him like that, he would've thought they looked stupid. Yet, here was Ash, looking adorable.

They were about halfway finished when a voice sang, "How's it going, Pilove-doves~?"

Skye's stomach dropped. _Ah'm gonnae pretend she's no der,_ he decided, doing his best to not look up. He looked up anyway. His mother was walking towards them, with his father's old polaroid camera in her hand.

Skye's eyes rounded with fear. _Why is she even here?!_ His mother was meant to be working in the swampy quarter of the ranch, which was nowhere near the homestead. But, judging by her muddy rain boots, she had just come from there. How she got to the house so quickly, or where she got her camera, he had no idea.

"Hello, Mrs Hunter." Ash said, after swallowing his mouthful of soup. He sounded unusually meek.

"Pi-pika!" Pikachu chimed from his lounging spot.

"Heya, Ash, Pikachu." Winnie smiled, stopping at the bottom of the porch steps. "Whatcha guys eatin'?"

"Soup!" Ash said, taking another spoonful into his mouth. "It's really good. Mr Hunter did a great job."

"Glad yae like it, hun. Husbands sure are great." she said, throwing Skye a smug look. "Aren't they, Skye?"

 _End me,_ Skye narrowed his eyes, and scrunched up his nose. "Mum, why ir yae here?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I want tae take a picture eh you two!" Winnie said, wielding the camera like a weapon.

"Mum, naw, _please-_ "

His mother gave him an almost condescending wave of her hand. "Och, shush! It's no everyday yir son finds himself a boyfriend." she made a point to wink at Ash. The trainer rubbed the back of his neck, and chuckled sheepishly.

"M-mum-!" Skye barked, his face burning with embarrassment. "We're eatin' oor lunch!"

"It'll only take a minute," Winnie said with a smile. "I won't keep you two too long."

"It _is_ just a picture." Ash shrugged, but Skye could feel his leg awkwardly shift against his. Skye understood his discomfort.

"Ugh, fine!" Skye said finally, putting his spoon into the half-empty tub. "Jist wan picture!"

"Great!" Winnie beamed, lifting the camera up again to begin positioning herself to get the best framing for the picture.

As Ash hesitantly put their lunch to the side, Pikachu got up to jump off the swing. "No need tae move, Pikachu. You cin be in the picture too!" The mouse-like Pokémon chirped, and decided to seat himself where their lunch once sat, placing him in the middle.

 _Fur somewan dat doesnae like gettin' his picture taken, he sure likes posin' fur 'em,_ Skye mused as he awkwardly tried to follow his example. Beside him, Ash shuffled a little closer. Skye did his best to keep himself from fidgeting nervously.

"Skye, son. Can you look a wee bit less-" Winnie gestured vaguely. "uncomfortable?"

The breeder scowled at his mother, looking all the more uncomfortable. _Dis is totally karma fur kissin' Ash, isn't it._

That's when Ash decided it was a good idea to wrap his arm around Skye's shoulders. The brunet could swear his soul just left his body. His mother let out a barely hidden giggle. Panicked, Skye turned his head to give his boyfriend a half-questioning, half-pleading look.

Ash returned the look by turning up his eyebrows, and smiling sweetly. He almost looked. . .proud.

Skye's cheeks reddened.

He was proud. Proud to be here, getting his picture taken, with him. Skye's heart was fit to burst with the rush of affection he felt for the boy beside him. His face started to feel hot again, as he felt the weight of Ash's arm resting on his shoulders.

Even if it was just putting his arm around him for a picture, it was a gesture that spoke volumes. He felt comfortable enough to be affectionate in front of others—in front of his _mother_.

Skye softly smiled back. He was happy that this was the guy he ended up falling for.

 _Flash!_

Both Skye and Ash snapped their heads forward to look at Winnie, who started waving a developing polaroid around. "All done, kids!"

Skye nearly started sputtering. _We wirnae ready!_

As his mother hopped up onto the porch, an almost devilish smile curled onto her lips as she looked at the picture. "Oh, what a cute picture!" Skye sat there, his stomach churning, as she stepped over to hand the polaroid over. "Can't keep yer eyes off each other, can yees?"

All the more worried, Skye looked at the picture

He, Ash, and Pikachu were sitting on the porch swing, all smiling. But, neither he or Ash were looking at the camera. They were too busy looking at each other. The only one who was looking at the camera was Pikachu, who was oblivious to his trainer's attention being elsewhere.

Skye stared at his own face, taking note of the small, dimpled smile he wore. He wanted to hate the picture, he really did. He wanted to hate that his mother was the one who captured it. He wanted to hate how embarrassing this all was. But, he couldn't.

He didn't look awkward, or out of place like he looked in so many other photos. He looked genuinely happy, as did Ash and Pikachu.

"Make sure tae stick that on yir pin board, son!" His mother told him. "Yae wouldn't want to lose it!" he glanced up to look at her, only to find that she was already off the porch, and was in the middle of leaving. Apparently, he had completely missed her saying goodbye.

"Uh, Skye? Can I see the picture? You're kinda hogging it." Ash asked, but ended up taking it before the brunet had the chance to hand it over. He grinned. "Hey! We look. . .good. . ." he trailed off. Skye watched his cheeks turn pink before he pushed the polaroid into Pikachu's paws. "The picture's nice," he said quickly, using the lip of his hat to hide his reddening face.

Skye wanted to laugh, but he couldn't blame Ash for feeling embarrassed. Even though he liked the picture, he couldn't deny that the thing's existence was extremely embarrassing.

He sympathetically leaned his shoulder into Ash's. "Mmh," he grunted, nodding in agreement. He felt Ash lean back, and it made his heart flutter.

As they started to fall into a comfortable silence, Pikachu looked up from the polaroid to gaze at the two blushing trainers.

Ash lifted his head. "What's up?"

Pikachu stared at the both of them for a long moment, then slowly started to give them a sly grin, accompanied by a short snort.

In an instant, Skye's face felt as hot as a tamato berry.

"Don't laugh!" Ash huffed, his own face turning as red as his hat. He snatched the polaroid out of Pikachu's paws. "It's a good picture," he said defensively.

Pikachu gave his trainer a blank look, then shook his head. With his tail, he pointed towards something beside Ash.

Looking where he was pointing, Ash yelped, "Wah—! Our lunch!" he clumsily handed Skye the photo, and grabbed the tub. Pikachu hopped off his lap to make space for it. "It's cold. . ." the trainer wept, stirring the soup sadly with his spoon.

"We cin still eat it," Skye told him.

"But, it's better when it's hot-!" Ash whined, sounding too much like a child.

Skye sighed.


End file.
